What Do I Get for Baby’s First Christmas?

Christmas is always a joyous time of year! There are so many wonderful things to look forward to amongst the hustle bustle. It’s made even more special when you are also celebrating Baby’s First Christmas!

So when you are trying to figure out how best to celebrate baby’s first Christmas, you surely contemplate what gifts to give. The reality is that your little one likely doesn’t understand what the season is all about, much less have the ability to open their own gifts. Here are some ideas to help celebrate baby’s first holidays without going overboard.

Pick a few great learning toys that you can unwrap with the baby. These are toys that you would likely get for them anyhow, so just wrap them up and make them that much more special for Christmas. Sure wrapping them up is more for you than them, but it’s a tradition that you just must practice.

Go to some local mom to mom sales and pick up a few stocking stuffers. You can get toys that are gently used at a fraction of the price. So if you want to get some gifts for baby to open but don’t want to spend a ton as they may be short lived, picking up some toys from a mom to mom sale may be a great way to give something to your little one.

Wrap up some new DVD’s and books. You can have quite a few things to open with your little one, and these are certainly items that will come in handy. If your baby is very little then this may be something useful down the road. Otherwise these can be used right away and be something that baby can enjoy the benefits of very quickly.

Look for sale items and stock up. I have been looking for sales on toys since October and have stocked up on some very nice items. I may not give them all at once because there’s so many toys that it could be overwhelming for my daughter. However I’ve got some great options and some nice gifts to wrap up, and I got each and every item on sale. It will never matter to her, but it helped with our Christmas shopping this year!

Baby’s First Christmas can be so much fun and with some shopping expertise and an eye for sale items, you can have plenty for them to open without spending a ton.

Reasons to Rake Leaves with Your Kids

Sometimes it’s hard to get your children to help out with yard work. If you can show them how fun it is, the chances of them participating increase tenfold. Raking leaves is the perfect cleanup activity for a wide variety of age groups. The folks over at Mommy Lounge have put together 13 reasons why kids should rake leaves. Here’s our favorite:

The special treat you get afterwards: After an hour or two its always nice to reward yourself for a job well done. Some hot chocolate, tea, coffee (not for the kids) and some delicious cookies would work perfectly.

Summer Picassos - How to Remember Your Kids Artwork

We all know how we can spend hour up summer hour watching our kids engage in their development of junior masterpieces. From finger painting, to drawing, to basic everyday coloring, your child can quickly amass beautiful pieces of art. The question quickly becomes, however, what do we do with all of the artistic treasures our little junior Picasso have developed. I know I have personally been guilty of sneaking a piece or two of artwork in between the different sections of the morning newspaper which was headed for the recycle bin. Mind you…I did feel a panged of guilt when I confiscated these out of my home but I just didn’t have even one more square inch of ‘display’ area on my refrigerator (I had even begun posting artwork on our surplus frig in the garage!!). But then I found the answers (with the help of my husband…) and here are a few tips I believe moms everywhere will appreciate:

Convert Your Garage into an Art Gallery

At my husband’s suggestion, we started “displaying” our kids’ artwork in the garage. Not only is it a great way to add some “color and interest” into a typically otherwise drab environment, it is also a great way to keep your child’s talents—front and center. My kids’ creations are the last thing I see when I am headed off to the office in the morning and the first things I see when I get home in the evening. My kids benefit in that they feel proud that their work is displayed for the whole world see (or just our whole family!).

Frame Your Favorites

I recently started framing my children’s really “good” paintings and drawings. I have dedicated a hallway in my home which is lined with my children’s artwork. I have bypassed the really pricey frames; with the special non-glare glass, beveled mattes, and specialty frames and found that I could achieve the same look (almost!) by stocking up when stores like Michael’s, Joann Fabrics, and Target, are having a sale on frames and mats. I have even picked up frames at the dollar store for – you guessed it – just a buck! In this case as well, I love to see my kid’s artwork framed and displayed and they love having their work “showcased”.

Portfolios of Love

I have also recently started a “portfolio” of my kids’ artwork. I simply scan our favorites (either at home or at our local Kinko’s), name and date each “piece”, and then once we reach a good number of pages of art, we bind it all together! If it is for a special gift, for grandma, dad, or other loved ones, we incorporate raffia and/or ribbon as the binding to give the “portfolio” at more “festive” look. These portfolios are also a great way for us mom to organize and assemble our children’s treasures for our own personal enjoyment as mom’s once our children are grown and when long summer day’s with our children are distant memories.

Share a Good Book…Share Your Love

Often, moms crave some alone time. We crave just a little time alone to cuddle up with the latest Danielle Steele novel or the most current Oprah magazine. But instead of “reading solo”, consider taking that time to cuddle up with a book and your child. We all know that we serve as our children’s first and most “powerful” role model. And when we compound this knowledge with experts advising that when reading aloud to infants stimulates their brains to create new learning pathways and that reading to preschoolers is the most important thing families can do to prepare them for reading….we should really take heed. According to the the Zero To Three organization, children really do love to read, not just because they find books interesting, but because it is a joyful and bonding experience with a parent (zerotothree.org, 2002). The National Research Council confirms this same finding by concluding that reading with a parent provides a time for emotional closeness and provides a foundation for understanding the value of literacy (1999).

On a personal level, I have always been a reader. One of my greatest joys as a child–was adding to an ever-expanding book collection. This love of reading eventually led to my pursuit of an English degree in college and my continued fascination with the written word. It is not surprising that my children also love to read (my daughters took to reading like fish to water—my son required a bit more prodding). Our family typically does not watch TV every evening….and instead, we read. Consider dedicating a few nights (or maybe just start with one) a week to read together. Think of it as a 2 in 1 benefit for your kids—knowledge wrapped up in emotionally warmth.

Don’t Spend Your Whole Day Cleaning

One of the most frustrating aspects of being a Mother is how much disorder children bring into our lives. The house is strewn with toys, streaks of grape jelly decorate the walls, and the floor is sticky with who-knows-what substance. Your youngest child seems to wake up sick on every holiday and your middle kid throws tantrums in the most unexpected places embarrassing you to the core. Kiss predictability goodbye until you ship your kids off to college. Don’t let disorder drive you nuts. Instead of chasing your kids around all day picking up every block they toss onto the floor, or wiping down every sticky fingerprinted window, just relax. Does the thought of relaxing while watching tiny saboteurs rip your house to shreds evoke shudders of anxiety? Don’t let it. Here’s why you should wait until the end of the day to clean and tidy. If you do it any earlier, your house is going to get destroyed again. And again. And again. The result? Frustration and resentment towards your kids and your role as a Mother. Do this instead. Have a designated area in your house for toys. Either have your children play ONLY in that room or allow each child to select three toys to bring into the common area of the house. Right before dinnertime, put on some peppy music and make a game of cleaning up the house. Have the children put the toys back where they belong. As for messes, only clean them up immediately if they are going to cause a permanent stain. Otherwise, wait until your pre-dinner clean-up time to give the house a quick wipe-up. Why do the same thing over and over and over again and drive yourself crazy? Put one big clean-up time on your daily schedule and let yourself have fun with your kids the remainder of the day!

Craft Time: Can Cozies

This fun project was posted by Maria over at Parenting Hacks. I think it’s both a great activity and a headache saver… with a personalized cozie it’s easy to tell who left their soda can by the couch! Cozies are also great for keeping hands warm while the soda stays cool. Try using this activity at the beginning of a birthday party to label cups. Bonus: kids can take them home as party favors!

One rainy day at the craft store, my kids picked up a couple of foam drink cozies to decorate. They had a blast decorating with stickers and markers. Now they use them all the time.

10 More Uses for an Empty Jar

A few days ago I posted a tip on how you can create craft storage out of old jars. BusyMomsOnline.com has a list of even more things you can create. Looking forward to trying out their craft idea for a Beach in a Jar!

Beach in a jar - This is a fun project for kids who have been to the beach recently and gathered seashells. Simply put some sand in the bottom of the jar, and add lots of shells and some driftwood. A larger shell can be glued to the lid for a finishing touch.

Get Your Child to Take His Medicine

I remember when my son contracted pneumonia at 2 years old. That was one of the worst ordeals I have ever been through. On top of general worry, there was the need to get medicine into him every 2 hours, and feeling as yucky as he did, he was not a very willing participant. Battling the will of a stubborn 2 year old is never easy on the best of days. Thank heavens for this tip from Parents2parent.com:

Break them and crush them or indeed take the beads out of the capsule and put it in syrup, honey , yoghurt, nutella or any other thing your child thinks is yummy and give small amounts at a time. Remember when you do this you may affect the strength of the medication but at least you get it in. You might need to strike a deal to get it in.

Encourage Toy Sharing During Playdates

Despite having a best friend to come over and play, your preschooler may balk at letting little Johnny play with his favorite fire truck. Or anything else for that matter. Here are some tips for encouraging toy sharing from Surfnetparents.com:

Prepare some extra activities

While this is a good idea to do anyway, they can come in extremely handy when children begin to fight over toys. It’s always nice to have a change of pace for a while so that’s why extra activities work great. Things like reading books together, playing with play dough or some type of kinesthetic activity or water painting, and one of the best activities for young children is sand and water. Kids will come up with a million things to do with sand and water, or even just water. It doesn’t matter what you decide to prepare, just as long as you have some extra fall back activities to change things up a little.

Clutter Control!

Beyond Easter Baskets!  Looking for an easy, attractive way to control clutter in your house, and in your child’s room?  Try an array of baskets.  The kids can’t seem to keep books stacked neatly on shelves?  Try a laundry basket.  If a big gawky plastic basket doesn’t fit your decor, try a wicker laundry basket.  You can find them at home goods stores or even Walmart, and they make a great portable, simple way to corral those board books that seem to multiply. 

Try smaller baskets for crayons, video games (especially the small ones like those for Gameboys), hair bows, and even kitchen counter clutter like vitamin bottles, coffee accoutrements, and snacks.

Got Bored Kids?

There is nothing more frustrating than having a bored kid hovering around you asking, “what can I do?” It’s important to teach children that boredom is a natural part of life and that they need to learn how to entertain themselves. If they’ve run out of ideas, resist plopping them down in front of the television to keep them occupied. Instead, sit down with your children and write out as many enjoyable activities that you can on index cards. Place the cards in a large fishbowl and have the children pull one out when they’re bored. If they aren’t in the mood to do that particular activity, give them one more chance to pick out a different card. If they’re still uninspired? Give them a chore to do. Have a different fishbowl with chores written on index cards. Chances are your kid will change his or her mind and go for the activity instead. Search the web for kid-friendly sites that list numerous children’s activities for ideas to write on your index cards. If you do need a break from your nagging children, allow a small amount of TV doled out in 30 minute increments. Don’t allow more than two hours of viewing per day.

How to Help the Teen who Has ADD/ADHD

These tips were found at Helpful Hints for the Parents of Teens and were specific to parents of children who suffer from ADD/ADHD. I found that they were just as helpful for jr high students and those without learning disabilities but who tend to be a bit disorganized.

** Have your child tackle the most difficult homework assignment first. If left until the last to be done your child could stretch out the other work he or she has in order to prolong the assignment.

** Have your child keep a planner. This shouldn’t be too difficult as most schools now provide them. Make sure your child is keepingit up to date so they do not have to rely on their memory.

** Make sure your child has a neat and organized space in which to do their homework. Stock it with all the supplies they may need; pencils, paper and books.

** Make sure your child keep a organized backpack. Empty old homework and assignments out of their folder on a daily basis.

Thank You Notes- from the kids!

In today’s world of scattered families, many special events are marked by gifts through the mail.  One of the most frustrating things for grandmothers, family friends, and favorite aunts is to not know if a gift was ever received.  A thank you note is more than just a social nicety or formality.  Whether it comes via email or snail mail, a thank you note not only allows the sender to be sure the gift arrived intact, but lets the recipient express his or her gratitude for someone’s thoughtfulness. 

For small children, however, thank you notes often fall by the wayside.  Try taking a picture of your child opening or enjoying the gift.  Let your kids draw a picture if they are small.  If your kids have reached the age to understand who and where the gift came from, write a note yourself while explaining what you’re doing; once your child is big enough to write simple words, utilize the fill-in-the-blank thank you notes available where stationary and party supplies are sold.  I often write out the name of the sender and the item on a scrap of paper, and let my young son copy into the blanks.  His grandparents like to receive it in his handwriting, and they know he’s aware who gave him that nifty new toy.   For older kids, find a cute set of blank cards and let them write their own- it’s a social skill that will last a lifetime! 

For a good selection of fill-in-the-blank cards, try My Expression.

Helping Your Teen Cope with Depression

No teen is immune from depression. As parents we try to help kids out of a “funk” by engaging them in activities or asking questions. Sometimes though it becomes more than we can do alone. Teens have many influences, and we as parents, may not represent the most important influence in a time of crisis. That is why we should be vigilant in “knowing” our children. Your child may not tell you what is wrong, but if you remain aware of your child’s habits and routines, you can tell when you need to call in more help. This list of signs from helpfulhintsforparentsofteens.com will help you to assess whether your child is simply having a bad day or if its something more serious. Call for help if you notice any of the following:

Suicidal thoughts
Sleeping habits change
Crying often
Anger/Hostility
Agitation
No motivation
Cannot concentrate
Feeling of guilt or that they are not worth anything
Tired all the time
Sadness
Withdrawing from family and friends

Plan a PreSchooler’s Birthday Party with Ease

I am looking forward to my son’s 4th Birthday. It will be the first time that we invite a group of other kids (and parents!) over to our house. And, like every mother, I want it to run smooth and be perfect. So I’m starting to plan now, 10 months in advance. Blissfully Domestic came to my rescue and posted a great solution: plan traditional activities around naptime.

* 2 hours is the perfect length for a preschooler party.
* Get involved in some of the activities yourself. (Become the “fun” mom!)
* Hand out goodie bags as the guests leave.

Online Games for Toddlers

Savvy-cafe.com recently ran an article about online sites with games for Pre-Schoolers to play. Along with reviews of those two sites they also passed along these tips:

* Get a large monitor for small eyes, and a second keyboard in case of spills or bangs.
* Temper online games with physical activities.

Become a Better Parent

Being a parent is stressful. Before parenthood I was stressed if I was going to miss out on a tv show. Now, the stakes are much higher. I’m in charge of the happieness of another small being. It’s no wonder that parents are a stressed out mess. With people being laid off left and right, comodity prices going up and not enough time in the day to get everything done I was glad to find 10 tips from eliminatingparentstress.com on how to become a more effective (and less stressed) parent.

First and foremost, remember that being an effective parent does not just mean decreasing negative behaviors on the part of your child. It also means as a parent that you need to be aware of the good behaviors your child acts out, so that these behaviors can properly be encouraged and, thus, enforced. Children cannot just be scolded when they do something wrong – they need to also know when it is that they do something positive. This needs to be acknowledged not only so that the child will learn that they did something good, but also so that they know that you, as a parent, do not just see the things that they do wrong. You are also aware of what they do right and correctly.

Host a Slumber Party

The kids are finally getting old enough for a slumber party and you’ve made the decision to host one. Don’t wait for panic to set in, Parenting.com has 5 tips for throwing a slumber party that everyone will enjoy:

Shorten the guest list. Corralling three kids is easier than eight. Tell your child that she can invite fewer friends than for a daytime party.

Set house rules with confidence. They may test you, but children feel insecure if the adult isn’t in charge — and the more secure kids feel, the more easily they’ll sleep.

Create a quiet zone. The night before, set up a spot away from the sleeping area with snacks and quiet activities for early risers, so kids can sneak down without waking anyone.

Set a firm “lights-out” at the outset. “I let the kids talk after that as long as they don’t make noise or get out of bed. Once they’re in their sleeping bags and it’s dark, nobody makes it long,” says Angela Root, a mom of one also from Portland.

Slow down. Even after the best sleepover, everyone’s tired the next day. Plan a quiet afternoon so both you and your child can relax. And expect crankiness.

6 Ways to Streamline Bedtime

Bedtime. You either love it or you hate it. Either way, I’m sure that you wish your kids went to sleep just a bit earlier so you could grab some time to yourself. Paula Spencer at Parenting.com gives these six steps to help stream bedtime routines:

Start earlier than you think.
Make it like pudding.
Be the leader, not the follower.
Choose lullabies with care.
Set the mood with bedtime stories.
Watch the clock.

Why You Should Give Your Kids Their Own gMail Address

I use Google Mail all of the time (none of those pesky ads) but I wasn’t sure about setting up gmail for the kids… at least as young as the author at flagrantdisregard.com suggested. Until I kept reading. You see, he created email accounts for his 4 year old and 6 year old, but he used a handy little option to create multiple identities within his own email so his children could “feel” like they’re sending their own email. It also lets you control the spam that gets sent in. And it’s pretty simple:

Go into Settings, click Accounts, then Add another email address.
Now enter Johnny’s name and Alice+Johnny@gmail.com as the address.

I still think I’m waiting for my son to get out of Kindergarden before I get him his first email address….

Trim Your Babies Nails Without Fuss

I remember the first time I attempted to cut my son’s fingernails. He was born with long sharp nails, and thankfully I had to cut them in the hospital. Unfortunately, I did a horrible job and ended up making them even sharper! Thankfully, some moms at Parenting.com have come up with some suggestions on how to make nail trimming easy:

File with an emery board instead of cutting if the nail isn’t very long, or if it’s more sharp than long.

Use a nail clipper designed for babies. The regular ones are harder to manage (and actually do look big enough to take off a baby’s finger).

Babies fingers also tend to peel better than adult nails, and many times can just be pulled off the nail is already broken.

Best After School Snacks

Almost all kids want a snack after school. The trick to teaching them how to choose the healthy snacks is to give them a wide variety of healthy choices. Directorym.com had this suggestion of what to put on the counter:

Snack Tray on the Counter: Whole grain cereal, whole grain crackers, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, cheese buns, whole wheat rolls, apples, bananas, mandarin oranges.

Making travel less stressful for little ones

Taking the kids on a spring break or summer vacation?  Going away to summer camp or to Grandma’s for a week?  Being away from home can be stressful for kids of all ages, from toddlers to pre-teens.  Here’s a simple trip to make bedtime in a strange bed feel more like home:

Pack your child’s special pillow case.  If your child doesn’t already use a special pillow case, buy one in his or her favorite cartoon character or sports team a few weeks in advance, just for fun.  Wash it in your normal detergent so it gets that smell of home.  (As a kid, my mom always used Gain- I still think of home when I smell it!) 

Pack it in your bag, and when you arrive at the hotel or rental or Grandma’s, slip your little one’s favorite pillowcase over the pillow that’s already there.  While adults are known to be picky about their pillow’s fluff factor, kids are generally easier to please and the familiarity of the favorite character pillow case makes it seem more like home; and bedtime just got easier! 

One bonus- buying separate pillow cases with characters for your kids is much less expensive than purchasing the entire sheet set- plus if you choose a neutral set of sheets, you can switch out pillow cases as their latest fixation changes!  We’ve been through Dragon Tails, Scooby Doo, Football teams, etc…..  For some cute ideas try these at Find Gifts.com!

Potty Training Tricks

For boys in particular, it’s important to have a collection of tricks up your sleeve for potty training. This one at Lifetips.com is one of my favorites:

Gather together 3 or 4 toys that can be water toys. They will become special “potty” toys that can only be played with while the child is sitting on the potty! Once the child is sitting on the potty fill a large bowl or small bucket with lukewarm or tepid water, place the new “potty” toys in the bowl and set the bowl of water in front of the child. When the child places his/her hands in the lukewarm water to play with the toys, if the child needs to go potty, the warm water will help to speed up the process.

My personal toilet training tip: for boys, keep a bowl of Cheerios next to the toilet. When it’s time to pee, your little fella can toss a couple in and practice aiming!

Travel meds

If you travel with kids, at some point you’re going to have a sick child on the road.  It might be a bout of carsickness, or an allergic reaction, or even a fever.  Keep these few necessities in a ziplock bag at all times, and grab it any time you hit the road.

• A bottle of children’s benadryl.  It can be used for runny noses and allergic reactions.  It’s also usable by both adults and children. (make sure to follow labeling instructions.)
• A bottle of children’s ibuprofen.  Treats everything from fevers to headaches to other aches and pains.
• A few Tums for kids and parents.  Sometimes too much takeout and riding can cause an ill tummy.
• A thermometer, bandaids, a tube of antibiotic cream, and a liquid measuring cup for meds. 

Of course, if you’re making a road trip, it always helps to have an extra change of clothes for each child and a pack of wet wipes (for all ages) within quick reach.  I always keep a small tote bag with these in the back of my car, even if there are suitcases.  I also line the backseats of the car with a doubled sheet for road trips to catch everything from crayons to crackers to spills (including ‘carsickness!’)

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